Good morning, Whitewater.

Sunday in Whitewater will be sunny with a high of eighty-five. Sunrise is 5:22 and sunset 8:36, for 15h 13m 11s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 85% of its visible disk illuminated.

Our Independence Holiday events conclude today along Cravath, opening at Noon and closing at 5 PM.

It’s today that the FIFA Women’s World Cup match between America and Japan takes place, at 6 PM central time. (Yesterday saw an exciting, extra-time game for third place between England and Germany, and an English win over Germany, 1-0.)

The Solar Impulse 2 plane completed a trans-Pacific flight from Japan to Hawaii on July 3rd.  It’s another step in use of genuinely green and clean technology:

On this day in 1832, Gen. Atkinson enters the trembling lands:

On this date, General Atkinson and his troops entered the area known by the Native Americans as “trembling lands” in their pursuit of Black Hawk. The area was some 10 square miles and contained a large bog. Although the land appeared safe, it would undulate or tremble for yards when pressure was applied. Many of the militiamen were on horses, which plunged to their bellies in the swamp. The “trembling lands” forced Atkinson to retrace his steps back toward the Rock River, in the process losing days in his pursuit of Black Hawk. [Source: Along the Black Hawk Trail by William G. Stark]

Good morning, Whitewater.

It will be a sunny Independence Day in Whitewater, with a high of eighty-three. Sunrise is 5:22 and sunset 8:36, for 15h 14m 06s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 92% of its visible disk illuminated.

Our Independence Day festivities begin with a race through town, and then parade at 10 AM.

America plays Japan tonight Sunday for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, in Vancouver, at 6 PM central time.

Stage One of the Tour de France begins today, for a competition that continues through most of July, from 7.4 to 7.26.

On this day in 1863, Gen. Grant compels a Confederate surrender at Vicksburg:

The Confederacy is torn in two when General John C. Pemberton surrenders to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Vicksburg, Mississippi.

The Vicksburg campaign was one of the Union’s most successful of the war. Although Grant’s first attempt to take the city failed in the winter of 1862-63, he renewed his efforts in the spring. Admiral David Porter had run his flotilla past the Vicksburg defenses in early May as Grant marched his army down the west bank of the river opposite Vicksburg, crossed back to Mississippi, and drove toward Jackson. After defeating a Confederate force near Jackson, Grant turned back to Vicksburg. On May 16, he defeated a force under John C. Pemberton at Champion Hill. Pemberton retreated back to Vicksburg, and Grant sealed the city by the end of May. In three weeks, Grant’s men marched 180 miles, won five battles, and took 6,000 prisoners.

Grant made some attacks after bottling Vicksburg, but found the Confederates well entrenched. Preparing for a long siege, his army constructed 15 miles of trenches and enclosed Pemberton’s force of 29,000 men inside the perimeter. It was only a matter of time before Grant, with 70,000 troops, captured Vicksburg. Attempts to rescue Pemberton and his force failed from both the east and west, and conditions for both military personnel and civilians deteriorated rapidly. Many residents moved to tunnels dug from the hillsides to escape the constant bombardments. Pemberton surrendered on July 4, and President Abraham Lincoln wrote that the Mississippi River “again goes unvexed to the sea.”

Good morning, Whitewater.

Friday in town will be mostly sunny with a high of seventy-nine. Sunrise is 5:21 and sunset 8:36, for 15h 14m 59s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 97.4% of its visible disk illuminated.

Whitewater’s Independence holiday festival opens today at 5 PM. We’ll have fireworks in the city tonight later tonight at 10 PM.

On this day in 1863, the Union Army wins a decisive victory at Gettysburg, after three days of intense fighting, and heavy casualties on both sides of the battle. The next day, when details of the aftermath are better understood by his commanders, Pres. Lincoln issues a brief but moving statement:

Washington, D. C., July 4 — 10:30 A. M.

The President announces to the country that news from the Army of the Potomac, up to 10 P.M. of the 3d, is such as to cover that army with the highest honor; to promise a great success to the cause of the Union, and to claim the condolence of all for the many gallant fallen; and that for this, he especially desires that on this day He, whose will, not ours, should ever be done, be everywhere remembered and reverenced with profoundest gratitude.

(Signed) A. Lincoln

On this day in 1919, Milwaukee gets an airport:

1919 – Milwaukee County’s First Airport Established
On this date one of the earliest publicly owned airports in the United States was established. Use of the airport ceased when the need for more space resulted in the purchase or Hamilton airport, now Mitchell Field. [Source: History Just Ahead: A Guide to Wisconsin’s Historical Markers edited by Sarah Davis McBride, p.39]

Here’s Puzzabilty‘s Friday game, concluding this week’s series:

This Week’s Game — June 29-July 3

One Nation, Divisible

Get out your red, white, and blue-ray for this week’s filmfest. For each day, we’ll give you a series of clues, each of which leads to a word. You must drop one letter out of each of these answer words and put them together (in order), adding spaces as needed, to get a movie title that includes a word evoking the July 4th holiday—a different such word every day.

Example:

“We hold ___ truths to be self-evident” / “Fourscore and seven years ___” / composer of The Merry Widow / public defamation, legally / uninhibited part of the psyche

Answer:

The Eagle Has Landed (these / ago / Lehar / slander / id)

What to Submit:

Submit the movie title and the smaller words (as “The Eagle Has Landed (these / ago / Lehar / slander / id)” in the example) for your answer.

Friday, July 3

Commercial spot / almost-global measuring system / soft goat or rabbit wool / taking a vacation day / pasta that’s sometimes baked

Good morning, Whitewater.

Our Independence Holiday events will begin along Cravath at 5 PM, on a day with sunny skies and a high of seventy-four. Sunrise is 5:21 and sunset 8:36, for 15h 15m 47s of daytime. It’s a full moon, with 99.8% of that natural satellite’s visible disk illuminated.

On 7.2.1776, members of the Second Continental Congress vote for independence:

On this day in 1776, the Second Continental Congress, assembled in Philadelphia, formally adopts Richard Henry Lee’s resolution for independence from Great Britain. The vote is unanimous, with only New York abstaining.

The resolution had originally been presented to Congress on June 7, but it soon became clear that New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and South Carolina were as yet unwilling to declare independence, though they would likely be ready to vote in favor of a break with England in due course. Thus, Congress agreed to delay the vote on Lees Resolution until July 1. In the intervening period, Congress appointed a committee to draft a formal declaration of independence. Its members were John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Robert R. Livingston of New York and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. Thomas Jefferson, well-known to be the best writer of the group, was selected to be the primary author of the document, which was presented to Congress for review on June 28, 1776.

On July 1, 1776, debate on the Lee Resolution resumed as planned, with a majority of the delegates favoring the resolution. Congress thought it of the utmost importance that independence be unanimously proclaimed. To ensure this, they delayed the final vote until July 2, when 12 colonial delegations voted in favor of it, with the New York delegates abstaining, unsure of how their constituents would wish them to vote. John Adams wrote that July 2 would be celebrated as the most memorable epoch in the history of America. Instead, the day has been largely forgotten in favor of July 4, when Jefferson’s edited Declaration of Independence was adopted.

On this day in 1832, Abraham Lincoln passes through our area:

1832 – Abraham Lincoln Passes through Janesville

On this date Private Abraham Lincoln passed through the Janesville area as part of a mounted company of Illinois militia during the Black Hawk War. [Source: History Just Ahead: A Guide to Wisconsin’s Historical Markers edited by Sarah Davis McBride, p. 117]

Here’s Puzzability‘s Thursday game:

This Week’s Game — June 29-July 3

One Nation, Divisible

Get out your red, white, and blue-ray for this week’s filmfest. For each day, we’ll give you a series of clues, each of which leads to a word. You must drop one letter out of each of these answer words and put them together (in order), adding spaces as needed, to get a movie title that includes a word evoking the July 4th holiday—a different such word every day.

Example:

“We hold ___ truths to be self-evident” / “Fourscore and seven years ___” / composer of The Merry Widow / public defamation, legally / uninhibited part of the psyche

Answer:

The Eagle Has Landed (these / ago / Lehar / slander / id)

What to Submit:

Submit the movie title and the smaller words (as “The Eagle Has Landed (these / ago / Lehar / slander / id)” in the example) for your answer.

Thursday, July 2

Make a flag, like Betsy Ross / body parts bearing boots / flexible, like a gymnast / plaything

Good morning, Whitewater.

A new month begins for Whitewater, with increasingly sunny skies throughout the day and a high of seventy-four. Sunrise is 5:20 and sunset 8:37, for 15h 16m 32s of daytime. We’ve a full moon.

The Whitewater CDA’s Seed Capital Screening Committee meets today at 4 PM.

On this day in 1898, Col. Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders participate in the successful taking of San Juan Heights (San Juan Hill, Kettle Hill) from entrenched Spanish troops:

As the troops of the various units began slowly creeping up the hill, firing their rifles at the opposition as they climbed, Roosevelt went to the captain of the platoons in back and had a word with him. He stated that it was his opinion that they could not effectively take the hill due to an insufficient ability to effectively return fire, and that the solution was to charge it full-on. The captain reiterated his colonel’s orders to hold position. Roosevelt, recognizing the absence of the other Colonel, declared himself the ranking officer and ordered a charge up Kettle Hill. The captain stood hesitant, and Colonel Roosevelt rode off on his horse, Texas, leading his own men uphill while waving his hat in the air and cheering. The Rough Riders followed him with enthusiasm and obedience without hesitation. By then, the other men from the different units on the hill became stirred by this event and began bolting up the hill alongside their countrymen. The ‘charge’ was actually a series of short rushes by mixed groups of regulars and Rough Riders. Within twenty minutes Kettle Hill was taken, though casualties were heavy. The rest of San Juan Heights was taken within the hour following.

The Rough Riders’ charge on Kettle Hill was facilitated by a hail of covering fire from three Gatling Guns commanded by Lt. John H. Parker, which fired some 18,000 .30 Army rounds into the Spanish trenches atop the crest of both hills. Col. Roosevelt noted that the hammering sound of the Gatling guns visibly raised the spirits of his men:

“There suddenly smote on our ears a peculiar drumming sound. One or two of the men cried out, “The Spanish machine guns!” but, after listening a moment, I leaped to my feet and called, “It’s the Gatlings, men! Our Gatlings!” Immediately the troopers began to cheer lustily, for the sound was most inspiring.”^[6][7]

Trooper Jesse D. Langdon of the 1st Volunteer Infantry, who accompanied Col. Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders in their assault on Kettle Hill, reported:

“We were exposed to the Spanish fire, but there was very little because just before we started, why, the Gatling guns opened up at the bottom of the hill, and everybody yelled, “The Gatlings! The Gatlings!” and away we went. The Gatlings just enfiladed the top of those trenches. We’d never have been able to take Kettle Hill if it hadn’t been for Parker’s Gatling guns.”^[8]

A Spanish counterattack on Kettle Hill by some 600 infantry was quickly decimated by one of Lt. Parker’s Gatling guns recently emplaced on the summit of San Juan Hill, which killed all but forty of the attackers before they had closed to within 250 yards of the Americans on Kettle Hill.^[9] Col. Roosevelt was so impressed by the actions of Lt. Parker and his men that he placed his regiment’s two 7mm Colt–Browning machine guns and the volunteers manning them under Parker, who immediately emplaced them—along with 10,000 rounds of captured 7mm Mauser ammunition—at tactical firing points in the American line.^[10]

Colonel Roosevelt gave a large share of the credit for the successful charge to Lt. Parker and his Gatling Gun Detachment:

“I think Parker deserved rather more credit than any other one man in the entire campaign…he had the rare good judgment and foresight to see the possibilities of the machine-guns..He then, by his own exertions, got it to the front and proved that it could do invaluable work on the field of battle, as much in attack as in defence.”^[11]

On this day in 1959, selling margarine becomes legal in Wisconsin:

On this date it became legal to purchase Oleomargarine in Wisconsin. For decades, margarine was considered a contraband spread. Sale of the butter imposter resulted in fines or possible jail terms. Oleomargarine was sold legally in Illinois and frequently smuggled into Wisconsin.

Here’s the Wednesday game from Puzzability:

This Week’s Game — June 29-July 3

One Nation, Divisible

Get out your red, white, and blue-ray for this week’s filmfest. For each day, we’ll give you a series of clues, each of which leads to a word. You must drop one letter out of each of these answer words and put them together (in order), adding spaces as needed, to get a movie title that includes a word evoking the July 4th holiday—a different such word every day.

Example:

“We hold ___ truths to be self-evident” / “Fourscore and seven years ___” / composer of The Merry Widow / public defamation, legally / uninhibited part of the psyche

Answer:

The Eagle Has Landed (these / ago / Lehar / slander / id)

What to Submit:

Submit the movie title and the smaller words (as “The Eagle Has Landed (these / ago / Lehar / slander / id)” in the example) for your answer.

Wednesday, July 1

Reference section in the back of a book / throw around your money / “… all ___ are created equal” / hope chest wood / briefest possible writing credit